Marmalade
by SquaryQ
Summary: I'm Hadley Stevens. childhood friend of Ryou Bakura. Battle City is in full swing but a new evil coming toward Domino City. Who is he and why does he have a Millennium item? And why is my necklace glowing all the time? This fic will contain: -Thiefshipping -References to anorexia and eating disorders -REFERENCES -swearing
1. Chapter 1

One:

Ryou and I were fast friends, we first met in the playground that my parents took me to. Each day I would sit in the sandbox, waiting for somebody to play with me. Ryou did. And when our parents saw that, they became friends too. After Ryou played with me, we would play together in the park each day. When we joined school, we were put in the same class. Every Halloween Ryou and I would dress as a witch and her cat until we were ten. I was there when Ryou first got the Millennium Ring. He was with me when his parents told me that my parents had died on their trip to Egypt, leaving me my blue necklace and band. Ryou's family took me in, so I was there when Bakura first took over.

"Hadley? My ring's acting funny again." Ryou frets at the Millennium Ring points toward an alleyway. He grabs my wrist in an attempt to secure my attention. I was thinking of card games, like any other competitor in the Battle City tournament. Before I can register that Ryou was trying to get my attention, Bakura takes over. Still holding onto my wrist he darts in the direction of the alley. I giggle as I hear a man singing "Born To Be Wild" really off key. Bakura releases my wrist and darts in front of the man, who happens to be riding an obligatory anime motorcycle. I wonder whether he plays card games on his motorcycle. No that's just ridiculous! The blond on the motorcycle yelps as he skids to a halt, barely missing Bakura in the process.

"What the crap! You almost got us both killed jackass!" the tan blond accuses.

"So you are the source of the gay signal I have been tracking. Though I probably could have deduces that without the use of my gaydar." Bakura states. I nod to myself, what Ryou doesn't know is that for a joke, I built in a gaydar for his ring. Just to scare him. It was a silly April Fools day prank but I couldn't disable the gaydar, so it still stands.

"Wait hold on now! You think I'm? Look, I'll have you know that I like women." The blond in a purple tank top and skinny black jeans defends.

"No doubt, that's probably why you've dressed yourself like one." Bakura replies. I giggle, peering from behind the bins that Bakura hid me beside, the tank top has gold chain patterns crossing the chest! I agree with Bakura, he does dress like a woman.

"Silence fool. I would run you down with my obligatory anime motorcycle but I just noticed that you have a Millennium Item, what is the deal with that?"

"Oh yes. The Millennium Ring. It's mine. I use it to bent the space time continuum to my will. But sometimes, thanks to a friend of my host's I can track gay people." Bakura shrugs

"My name is Marik." The blond goes red, so changes the subject.

"Why are you here?" Bakura asks, eyes gleaming. He can see the Rod in Marik's belt loop.

"To destroy the Pharaoh." Marik says casually.

"Oh really? It appears we may have something in common." Bakura laughs. I join in. there is no way in Hell that this Marik guy is like Bakura. I have known Bakura for a number of years now, I should know.

"But who is this. She does not hold an item!" Marik accuses. "You have no means of being here." He tells me, trying to grab the hood of my hoodie. I step out of it, and faster than I could have deemed possible I bound Marik's hands with the sleeves. I stride confidently toward him.

"I do not need to hold an item to hold power." I smirk. Marik, with his still bound hands, studies me and I stare him down. I was wearing a black hoodie with white piping to tighten or loosen the hood. I am still wearing a tight fitting black vest and a black mini skirt with torn up tights and my electric blue Doc Martins, that match my Egyptian band and necklace.

"Fine." Marik growls relenting.

"Since you seem so confidant about destroying the Pharaoh, how many locator cards do you have?" Bakura sneers doubting that Marik even has a duel disk.

"Six." Marik grins triumphantly.

"We also have six. Each." I point out, untying Marik's hands.

"Maybe we should join forces to destroy the Pharaoh." Marik suggests.

"How are you intending to do _that_?" I ask.

"Push him off a boat!" Marik cries, in belief that his idea is to be superior. I roll my blue eyes, a blue which closely resembles if not matches the Egyptian jewellery I wear.

"I suggest the Shadow Realm." Bakura replies.

"Or we could simply take the puzzle." I point out.

"Marmalade has a point." Bakura nods.

"Thanks Fluffy." I reply teasingly.

"Please tell me that those aren't your real names." Marik complains.

"Sure they are Blondie." I say sarcastically, dubbing Marik as Blondie.

"I am Bakura, Spirit of the Ring." Bakura introduces.

"I'm Hadley. Marmalade is a joke about my hair and Fluffy is about Bakura's." I nod.

Discussing a strategy was easy. Though it's to involve ace acting skills from Bakura and I.

"Help! Help! Somebody help!" Marik cries. I hear Joey Wheeler and Tea Gardner run toward Marik, who is still yelling for help.

"What happened?" Tea asks. I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

"I don't know, they were just lying there in that alley over there. She has really bad stomach pains and he's whining about wanker's cramp." Marik lies.

"Wankers cramp, the most deadly of British diseases." Bakura whimpers, perfectly imitating Ryou.

"Come with me Hadley, I'll get you to a bathroom." Tea tugs on my arm. I slowly stand.

"That's okay Tea, I can go for myself." I press.

"Come on I've called a cab." Marik shoves Bakura and I into the backseat.

"Steve you won't charge them cab fare." Marik hisses to the driver.

Bakura and I quickly arrive at the hospital and then saunter towards Kaiba's Battle City Finals arena. Yay! More card games!


	2. Chapter 2

Two:

When all of the finalists arrive, I search for familiar faces. I roll my eyes Bandit Keith and Rebecca Hawkins are finalists too.

I spot the Pharaoh's cute innocent childlike host Yugi with his troop of nerdy friends, behind them lurks Marik. I groan when I spot who are wearing duel disks, Yugi, Joey, Mai and Tea. I almost choke on my gum when I saw Tea! I bet it was the friendship speeches.

"Please don't tell me you are a finalist?" I ask Tea.

"I am a finalist actually! All of my opponents surrendered for no apparent reason." Tea states with pride. Yep, definitely the friendship speeches.

"Come now, let us board the zeplin. Each of you state your names and present your locator cards. Kaiba demands.

"Yugi Moteu." Yugi says politely passing Roland a neat stack of six translucent cards.

"Bandit Keith. In America." The pro-American Canadian smirks handing over his cards.

"Rebecca Hawkins. And this is Teddy." Lisps the eight year old American Duel Monsters champion, using the bear to give Roland the six cards she possesses.

"Joey Wheeler's the name, duelling's the game." Joey grins cheekily, tossing Roland the cards from over his shoulder. Somehow Roland catches all six.

"Hey! Stop staring at my breasts!" Mai accuses, slapping Roland with her fist of locator cards, Roland, too mesmerised by Mai's cleavage fails to catch the falling cards.

"It seems that Mai Breastintine is here." He sighs deeply.

"Hey, wait up. I qualify too!" Marik yells after Joey and Mai. "Malik Blishtar." He says to Roland, rushing to catch up. Tea is staring at Marik's butt. I shudder. She's _drooling_!

"Tea Gardner." Tea says, rushing to catch up with Marik.

"Stop." A tall bronze skinned man with cinnamon eyes and a kick ass face tattoo yells, pushing me into Bakura, who catches me, much closer to the ground than I would have liked. He knows I'm self conscious about my weight! "It is I, Marik Sebastian Ishtar III and here are my locator cards." He says, strutting past Roland, dropping his cards at his feet.

"Come on Bakura." I whisper, tugging on his arms.

"You're meant to be acting moral." Bakura hisses with a wink.

"Here let me help you." I offer, now acting sweet, helping Roland pick up Mai and Marik's impersonator's cards.

"Thank you. Do you two qualify also?" Roland asks, Bakura and I nod.

"I am Hadley Stevens. That's Ryou Bakura." I reply. We both hand him our locator cards.

"Hurry up." Kaiba groans as we climb the steps.

"But Mr Kaiba, the eighth duellist, he has not yet arrived." Roland points out.

"Well wait for him then." Kaiba snaps. Roland obeys.

In half an hour, the duel ship begins to sail through the clouds. I look at Domino City from a window. It's pretty. Just looking at the city lights makes me feel important for being in the sky.

"Guess who?" a strongly accented British voice asks.

"You." I smile, cheating.

"Clever." Bakura comments turning me around.

"What can we do Bakura? What are we going to do to defeat the Pharaoh?" I ask, blue eyes shining.

"Stop doing that." Bakura says.

"Doing what?" I ask.

"Letting your face light up by the night skies. You're making it hard to concentrate on being evil." Bakura smirks.

"You never answered my question." I point out.

"Well you, like Marik said, are not an item holder, of course if I cannot bend the fourth wall to do as I require, you will have to do what you do best." Bakura says, brushing my fringe away from my eyes.

"Which is…" I promt.

"Having not only a natural face and a pure soul. But the ability to lie. For something you care about." Bakura says, smiling at me. I beam.

"You're doing it again." He murmurs.

"I don't care." I whisper.

"All contestants in the Battle City Finals must report to the main hall immediately." Roland announces over the Kaiba Corp PA system. In response, Bakura and I leave the room. He has hold of my wrist, leading me to the main hall. Marik catches up with us without much effort.

"Ready?" Marik asks.

"As I'll ever be." I rely, Bakura nods.

"Looks like the first duellists are Bakura and Yugi." Kaiba states, bored.

I watch as I end up standing with Kaiba on Bakura's side of supporters while Yugi's nerdy gang stand to cheer the Pharaoh on.

"I summon Dark Necrofear to the field." Bakura says, putting his one of his favourite cards into play.

"Ahh an alien! Just like the ones that abducted me as a child!" Tristan Taylor, a mature looking brunette with a single pointed spike hairdo and a Barney the Dinosaur voice yells.

"That explains so much and yet so little." Tea says, not really focusing on Tristan, but on the Pharaoh.

"I activate Dark Sanctuary, now the duel will take place in a twisted horror filled environment." Bakura says. I grin. I love this move! His two most powerful cards are in play, which means this duel is almost over. I listen to the terror filled screams of Tea and Serenity as the field spell takes effect, large eyeballs and spirits materialise around a red sky with black fog.

"Are we in hell?" Marik asks, slightly intimidated by Bakura duelling, he approaches me on the other side.

"Did you know he played like this." He whispers.

"You didn't!" I exclaim in a whisper.

"Even in Hell everybody stares at the hotness that is Duke Devlin." Duke declares, Serenity looks as if she could swoon. I roll my eyes. He's such a womanizer! Really, if it wasn't for him being slightly afraid of Bakura, he would have tried to flirt with me!

"Quiet you fool! Do you want the aliens to probe your anus?" Tristan warns.

"…Maybe." Duke replies. I snigger.

"Hadley." Marik whispers.

"Yes Malik." I reply quietly.

"Grab my rod." Marik commands. I roll my eyes.

"Which one?" I ask with a smirk.

"Hadley." Marik cautions, I do as I am told and lightly hold Marik's millennium item. I gasp when I open my eyes


	3. Chapter 3

Three:

Where are we? Is this Bakura's mind? It looks really dead and pessimistic in here. I around, the room is as dark as the midnight skies. Is it me or is light radiating off of Marik and I? I must just be hallucinating, there is no way our presence could radiate light.

"Oh Bakuraaaaaaaaaa." Marik sings. I frown as Marik's voice echo's through Bakura's mind.

"What!" Fluffy snaps, materialising from the darkness. He glares at Marik, expression softening when he sees me in his head.

"I have a plan to get us the Pharaoh's power." Marik declares. We stare at him.

"Well I'm in the middle of a children's card game at the moment, couldn't this have waited?" Bakura asks, rolling his eyes.

"Are we finally stealing his Puzzle?" I grin eagerly.

"Foolish fools! We are going to steal his _leather pants_." Marik enthuses.

"Seriously?" Bakura asks. Marik nods.

"Come Bakura, let us obtain his leather pants." Shouts Marik, his idea echoing through Bakura's mind.

"Hadley" Bakura asks. I nod, strolling toward Marik and slapping his face.

"No Marik, there are card games that are happening." I caution

"Why should the mortal get to call the shots?" Marik snorts. Bakura looks to me, slightly afraid. He knows what I did to him each time he called me a mere mortal. I punch Marik in the chin and kick him in the stomach, causing him to topple over.

"Because I am not a power hungry loon." I tell Marik, I then turn to Bakura "Or residing within my best friend's body. I also have a better idea."

"I'm all ears." Marik mutters sarcastically, doubled over.

"… and then Bakura pretends to be Ryou, who the guy Marik has impersonating him, pretends to release. As long as neither of you are hurt." I say, directing my last statement to Bakura.

"His name is Odion." Marik mutters.

"Sorry Odion pretends to release Ryou but I mean what I said. _Neither_ of them are getting hurt." I snarl.

"Why do you care so much about his weak pathetic _host_." Marik sneers.

"_Both_ Ryou and Bakura are my friends. I don't want to see either of them hurt!" I hiss.

"I think Hadley's idea is better. Let's do it." Bakura agrees.

"Fine." Marik scowls.

As my vision clears I watch as Odion, the impersonator strides into view. I study Odion's facial tattoo, it says something along the lines of "the sun guides us forward even when we want otherwise" I'm not so certain as I never perfected reading Egyptian, Ryou's father taught us all he knew before we were sent away.

"You might want to reconsider calling your attack Pharaoh, for Bakura is under my control, now watch as I release his host." Odion commands. Bakura falls to his knees.

"Ryou!" I shriek.

"Help. My Britishness is fading. I can barely feel my stiff upper lip." Bakura whimpers, attempting to mimic the weaker Ryou. He may be my best friend but Bakura does really good impressions of him.

"Attack your friend if you dare." Odion threatens.

"Him? He's not my friend! In fact I don't think we have exchanged two words of dialogue." The Pharaoh spits, looking down upon Bakura.

"Wait seriously?" Odion frets.

"Hell! I don't even know his first name!" the Pharaoh snorts.

"It's Ryou!" I scream.

"Hey Bakura, any last words before Slifer toasts your ass?" the Pharaoh asks patronisingly, totally ignoring Odion.

"I want my mummy" Bakura whimpers.

"You're sick!" I accuse.

"That'll work." The Pharaoh shrugs, declaring the duel ending attack.

Fluffy closes his eyes in an attempt to look almost dead.

"The winner is Yugi Moteu." Roland announces, raising his eyebrow when he see's that I have hoisted myself up onto the arena as it's lowering.

"Ryou. Please, open you eyes." I whimper, still glaring furiously in the Pharaoh's direction, only to see Yugi took over. My glare softens, that kid has morals, unlike the spirit of the puzzle.

"Somebody needs to get a medic up here!" Yugi yells, rushing over.

"Malik, Hadley, is he okay?" Yugi frets. How did I forget Marik was stood beside me?

"I don't know Yugi." I reply quietly. "Ryou please wake up." I say again.

Kaiba begins to murmur into the radio on his collar. Marik puts his arm around me for comfort. We are _really_ good at acting.

Soon after Kaiba finished speaking, a stretcher is brought up to the duel arena. As soon as Bakura is on the stretcher, I rush after him. Marik stays to maintain his disguise as an insignificant duellist.

"Due to the potentially fatal hospitalisation of ne of our competitors, there will be a twenty minute delay between now and the next round." Roland says over the PA

"You may come in now Miss Stevens." The black haired nurse, who refused to let me in as soon as Bakura arrived says.

"I need to find out if I'm duelling next." I say, walking away.

I find myself at Marik's room. I knock loudly, after five fist throbbingly violent pounds at the door I let myself in. His room is nice. Open in many areas. The walls are a pale blue while the floor resembles a teal like colour.

"Odion I'm giving you my Mega Ultra Chicken card so you can win if you duel first." Marik says handing Odion a trading card.

"Marik? Can I talk to you for a minute?" I ask. He nods. Odion looks alarmed at my presence.

"Never fear Odion, she is a _Steve_." Marik says over his shoulder.

"But Master Marik, isn't her name Steve_ns _is she truly under your control?" Odion asks fearfully.

"No, I am not under Marik's control. Bakura would never let him. _Trust_ me, I'm a friend of Marik's. I wouldn't lie about that." I reply with a smile. Odion nods.

"What's wrong Hadley, is it Bakura?" Marik asks.

"No. I'm just afraid for us all now. The Pharaoh is relentless. He appears to be able to see past my friendship with Ryou. He knows that I _know_ and _he_ knows of where I stand." I point out.

"Are you sure?" Marik asks. I nod.

"I fear that he will hurt one of us." I reply. He hugs me.

"Hadley you have to realise that being mortal is a great asset right now. Any of Yugi's friends would see that. _They_ know about Bakura and they've _seen_ what I can do. You are safe." Marik assures.

"The Pharaoh attacked Bakura despite looking and sounding like Ryou. He has no mercy." I say.

"Go and see Bakura." Marik instructs. I leave the room, Odion behind me.

"Hadley?" Odion asks unsurely.

"Yes Odion." I reply with a smile.

"Marik is not a threat Hadley." Odion says. I blink.

"But he just _said_ he was a greater one than me." I state, confused.

"That wasn't all Marik's words. They're partially Melvin's. Melvin is Master Marik's darker side. The real threat. Melvin knows the greater powers of the Millennium Rod.

"So what do I do?" I ask. "If Melvin is to make an appearance."

"Run. Don't become his ally. He manipulates them. _Possesses_ them. Then leaves them to waste away in the Shadow Realm when they have served their purpose." Odion warns. I nod.

"Thank you." I reply, hugging him too. Since when have I been a huggy person.

"Oh and another thing Hadley." Odion calls. "_Never_ _hug_ _Melvin_." He cautions.

"Got it." I wave, rushing to Bakura's hospital room.

Why would I hug Marik's alter ego?


	4. Chapter 4

Four:

I let myself into the hospital room.

"Bakura?" I whisper.

"Hadley." He sighs, leaning against a door frame. Unaware as to why, I find myself running to Bakura and hugging him tightly.

"You had to be a good actor didn't you." I mutter.

"You look as if I just came back from the dead Marmalade." Bakura laughs.

"Shut it Fluffy. You had me convinced that Ryou's body had been hurt." I hiss.

"I thought you were just an ace actress." Bakura shrugs. I blush.

"Bakura. Do you think we can really do this? Defeating the Pharaoh." I ask.

"Maybe Marik could as I cannot duel again in this tournament." Bakura ponders. I frown, aware that Odion warned me not to form an alliance with Melvin, Marik's dark side. Has this friendship been Melvin or Marik? How much of Marik's plan been Melvin? Has he already began to take over Marik's body? What if Melvin has no differences in clothing preference? What if they sound the same? What if we don't realise that he took over? I sigh. Is Marik okay?

"…Maybe." I agree with great reluctance.

"Hadley?" Bakura asks.

"I'm okay." I assure.

"No you're not." Bakura.

The zeplin begins to shake. I hear shouting from above. Oh my God! There's a duel! What's going on up there? Is it Marik? Oh God! Is it Melvin? I look outside of the ward, hoping to see Marik and maybe even Odion rush in, to see if we are okay too. Nobody's there. Not even a nurse.

"I have a bad feeling about this Fluffy." I whisper.

"Go and see who is up there. You and I both know that I can't." Bakura shrugs.

"You sure?" I ask, edging closer to the door.

"Go Marmalade. Go." He presses, shoving me lightly yet seriously toward the door.

I sprint, toward the main hall. It's empty. Crap! Panic causing my reactions to be slower, I barely get to the elevator in time to get to the duel arena. My head is spinning as I get off of the lift. I gasp when I see the devastation. The two duellists are unconscious on the arena floor. Serenity Wheeler, Joey's twelve year old redhead sister is sobbing into Tristan's shoulder while he holds her, muttering

"Come on Joey." I glance over to see who was duelling alongside Joey. No!

"What happened!" I shriek, realising this was causing Serenity to sob with a greater intensity, I rush to Marik, who looks as distraught as Yugi, Mai and Serenity.

"Malik?" I whisper.

"My brother." He murmurs. I hold onto the real Millennium Rod.

Like Bakura's mind, Odion's is dark. We radiate light, showing our significance in his brain. Odion is looking to us. I feel sick to my stomach. He could die over a children's card game. What an awful way for a grown man to die.

"I tried my best to serve you my Master. I tried. I tried. Ouch, my face." Odion murmurs, collapsing.

"Oh [EFF]" Marik curses.

"Odion!" I gasp, pulling away from the Rod.

"Malik Blishtar is actually Marik Ishtar!" Tea exclaims. I roll my eyes at her stupid comment. A three year old could have worked that out.

"Yes. It's true. I am Kira. I mean Marik." Marik corrects. I roll my eyes. Only to realise that Marik's screaming in agony. Despite knowing that everybody's eyes are on him, I walk toward him and put my hands firmly on Marik's shoulders.

"Marik. It's okay." I whisper. He continues to scream. Green-ish fog surrounding the zeplin, making it hard to see his face.

"Get out of my head you frigging frigstick." Marik screams. I back up, knowing he's having a mental battle with no other than Melvin.

Once the fog has cleared, I see a man, stood in my friend's place. He appears much older than Marik yet it is obviously his body. Because no man in Domino city wold wear a purple shirt that intentionally shows off his midriff. This must be Melvin. I study him, Melvin has hair that looks as if Marik had just electrocuted himself. On his forehead, is an eye of Horus. Oh crap! Not only is he in control of Marik's body, he's a Yami!

"I live again!" cheers Marik's Yami, Melvin.

"What have you done Melvin!" I yell, fearfully.

"Ahh, so you must be _Hadley_." Melvin smiles, voice dripping in venom. He drags me closer to him, despite my squirming.

"Hey!" I snap.

"Oh no!" Odion gasps.

"What the heck's going on?" Joey asks.

"Master Marik's darker side." Odion murmurs.

"Oh come on just how bad could he be?" Joey asks.

"Let me put it this way, you guys are totally f**ked. Tell the Gummy Bears, I love them" Odion says before blacking out again. I gulp.

"Odion." I whimper. In response to me drawing attention to myself, Melvin takes the real rod from his belt loop and presses one of the wings to my face.

"You had better not get in my way mortal." He spits. Maybe Marik and Melvin are alike, both of them despise mortals. Or maybe that was Melvin, warping Marik's mind-set. I feel my necklace almost refuse to obey Melvin's comment. There must be something wrong with me. Wait! Did it just _hiss_? I glare at Melvin, who then shoves me away as if I am dirt into Tea, who steps aside, so I land at Kaiba's feet. He looks at me disapprovingly as Mokuba, his sweet little brother helps me upright.

"Thanks Mokuba." I nod, turning to his brother. "Get the medical team here _now_!" I demand, rushing away to my room.

I find it surprisingly hard to leave the safety of my room in the zeplin. Bakura's probably aware of how long I've been away and I really ought to see whether Odion is okay. Against my better judgement I dart toward the medical ward, eager to see whether Odion is okay first. Surprisingly there was already visitors in his room so I lurk, leaning on the doorframe.

"Screw medical science! I'm talking about friendship!" Tea snaps at the doctor.

"Friendship isn't going to help this man." The doctor yells in retaliation.

"Silence non believer! The power of friendship and Tristan's beautiful singing voice shall heal him." Tea presses.

"Lean on me. When you're not strong. And I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on… For it won't be long 'til I'm going to need somebody to lean on." Tristan warbles. "Hooray! He's all better now" Tristan cheers.

"Suck on that medical science." Tea mutters.

"Tea you ought to stop filling Tristan's brain with the crap you spew from your mouth." I grin.

"Why do you care about this guy. You didn't even see the duel." Tea demands. I roll my eyes.

"Unlike _you_, I actually _knew_ Odion. And for your information Miss Perfect, _I_ was in the hospital ward, with Ryou, who has been unconcious since the Pharoh attacked him just to win a children's card game." I retort.

"Well if you'll excuse me. My friends, my _moral_ friends, need me." Tea flounces off, in an attempt to look posh. I snigger at her pathetic attempt of intimidation. Like the Pharaoh is moral!

Once I am alone I kneel beside Odion Ishtar.

"I'm so sorry Odion." I whisper.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" a tall, slim, exotic woman with long thick black hair, which is mainly obscured by a cream headdress with the eye of Anubis upon it. Her eyes, blue like Tea's Kaiba's and my own.

Who is she? And how long has she been here?


End file.
